Sewing-machine motor



(No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sh'eet 1-.

J. M. GAYOE.

SBWING MACHINE MOTOR. No. 288,620. Patented Nov. 20'. 1883.

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(No Model.) 3 Sh eets-Sheet 2.

M03.- SEWING MACHINE MOTOR. No. 288.6Z0. PatentedNov. 20, L883.

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' J. M. OAYOE.

SEWING MAOHINRMOTOR,

Patented NOV. 20, 1883.

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UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. GAYGE, OF NASHVILLE, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND CHARLES A.

BAILEY, TRUSTEE, OF FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE.

SEWING MACHINE MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,620, dated November 20), I883, Application filed April 21, 1883. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. CAYCE, of

Nashville, in the county of Davidson and the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming partof this specification, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of a sewingmachine provided with my improvements.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation from the opposite end. Figs. 4and 5 are end views of the spring-cages, showing the two positions of the stop mechanism when unwound and wound. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the shaft'and cage between the springs of that series. Fig. 7 is a detail of one of the division-plates. Fig. Sis a section through the line as x of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of one of the cages and its associated parts.

My invention relates to the application of springs to sewing-machines and other lightrunning mechanism,for1the purpose of supplying the motive power by which they are driven, and thereby avoiding the tiresome and laborious method of operating them by treadles, and particularly the injurious strains and other bad physiological effects uponthe female sex which a continued use of the ma chine involves; p

Springs have been applied in various forms to sewing-machines heretofore; and, while not claiming this, broadly, my invention consists in such features of improved construction and adaptation and arrangement of parts as look to a practically useful application of this source of power.

I11 the drawings, A represents a sewing-machine, in the legs or supporting-frame B of which are j ournaled two horizontal shafts, C 0'. To these shafts are attached at a, Fig. 6, the inner ends of a series of coil-springs, DD. Around each of these series of springs is arranged acage, composed of two heads, E F and E F, and longitudinal bars G G, let into notches in the heads, as in Figs. 6 and 8. These two cages, as composed of the-heads and bars,

revolve loosely on the shafts O O, and to the bars of the cages on one side are fastened at b, Fig. 1, the outer extremity of each of the coil-springs D D. It will therefore be seen that the spring-cages and the shafts have an independent motion in winding up or unwinding the spring. Between the springs on each shaft are arranged division platesor disks D Fig. 7, which prevent the coils of the spring from interfering one with the other. For winding up the springs, I cause the shafts to be turned by mechanism at one end of the same, and for transmitting the power in unwinding, Icausethe cages to rotate and actuate gears at the opposite end of the machine. In winding up the springs, those on each shaft are simultaneously constricted by the following mechanism: Each shaft has rigidly keyed to it a ratchet-wheel, HH, Fig. 3, and beside each ratchet-wheel there is hung upon the shafts levers I I, which at diametrical points carry spring-pawls c 0 0'0, that bear against the rachet-wheels, while a detent, d and d, for each wheel is jointed to the frame-work and made to bear against the periphery of the ratchet-wheels to hold them to place on the back stroke of their respective levers, so that when the levers I I are oscillated their pawls c and a turn the shafts and wind up the springs, while the detents cl cl hold the shafts to their places. For oscillating the levers I I considerable power is required, and I use long handlevers, which fit into sockets in the ends of the levers I I, to give the necessary purchase, and which hand'levers are made detachable, so that they may be taken out and placed away after the machine is wound up. I find it desirable to allow the shafts in winding up to turn only a limited'number of times, to avoid straining the springs or winding them up so tightly as to drive the parts with too much energy, and for this purposeIarrange on the heads EE of each spring-cage a stop-motion, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This consists of a collar keyed on the shaft, so as to be rigid with it, which collar has asingle tooth engaging with a corresponding notched disk, 6, which notched disk is fixed upon a pin on one of the heads E E. This notched disk has eight notches with seven intervening concave spaces,, and an Too eighth space which is convex. Now, the concave space corresdonds to the periphery of the collar, and the diskallows the tooth of the collar to enter each of the notches successively at every revolution of the shaft until the eighth revolution, when the convex space strikes the convex periphery of the collar, and jamming thereagainst stops any further revolution, thus limiting the shaft to eight revolutions in winding up the springs.

Fig. 4 shows the position of the parts when the springs are run down, and the convex face 1 is bearing against the collar, and in which position the shaft can be revolved, in the direction of the arrows to wind up thesprings, eight times, after which the parts occupy the relation shown in Fig. 5, where further winding up is arrested by the jamming of the convex face 1 against the collar again. This mechanism, it will be seen, avoids the winding up of the spring beyond a definite point of tension, and also prevents the unwinding of the springs beyond a definite point of looseness.

I will now describe how power is transmitted from the springs to the sewing-machine proper, and controlled at will.

To the heads F F of the two cages covering the springs and at the end opposite the winding devices are screwed or otherwise fastened the gear-wheels J J, Figs. 1 and 9, which are rigid with the cages, but loose on the springshafts. These gear-wheels (see Fig. 2) engage with a pinion, K, on an intermediate shaft, L;

and this shaft, outside of the main frame or legs, and inside of an offsetting bracket, M, has a gear-wheel, N which engages with a pinion, N,'on a shaft, 0, which is journaled at one end in the offsetting bracket M, and at the other in the inner detachable bracketpiece M. This shaft 0 also carries the drivewheel 1?, which is connected by a belt, Q, to

' the smaller pulley of the machine. so that the combined influence of the springs serves, through these gears, to drive the sewing-machine.

Tostart or stop the mechanism, the treadle R is connected by a rod, R, to a brake-lever,

R which is normally held againsta brakewheel, R by a spring, It, but which, when the pressure of the heel is appliedto the treadle, is removed from the brake-wheel and the mechanism allowed to respond to the influence of the springs.

Above the table there is a special brake mechanism (see Fig. 2) composed of a standard, S, lever S, pivoted brake-shoe S and screw S, by which latter the lever with its brake-shoe can be projected against the balance-wheel of the machine and made to bind thereagainst and definitely hold it against turning. This form of brake I use when leaving the machine, to prevent it from being accidentally set in motion.

I also provide an automatic device for stopping the machine when the band breaks. This under side of the work-table, and whose lower portion is curved to form abra-ke-shoe, which is drawn into contact with the brake-wheel by a spring, T, but is held normally away from the brake a short distance by an arm, T which has at its rear end a friction-roller, T that rests upon the belt. WVhenever this belt breaks or comes disconnected at the ends this arm T being no longer held up by the tension of the belt against its friction-roller, allows the lever T to be drawn into contact with the brake-wheel by the spring and stops the mechanism. This bearing of the frictionroller T also has another advantage, in that it forms a tension, which takes up any slack of the belt and constitutes a belt-tightener.

The arm T is slotted in its connection to lever T, and is fitted over a square pin, so that while it cannot turn radially on said pin it can be adjusted forward to make the frictionroller bear harder against the belt.

In my drawings I have shown two series of springs with two shafts and their attached parts; but I would have it understood that I may use only one series, or a greater number than two, if desired.

I may also vary the arrangement and number of toothed gear-wheels, which transmit the power to the machine; and I may arrange the stop devices for any number of revolutions of the shaft other than the eight specified.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. A sewing-machine or equivalent device provided with a spring-driving mechanism posed of heads and longitudinal bars fastened to the outer ends of the springs and loose on the shaft, and gears fixed to said cage at its end opposite the winding mechanism and connected. with the driving-wheel of the sewingmachine, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the shaft 0, series of springs D, and the cage E F G, of the winding mechanism consisting of the lever I, with one or more pawls, the ratchet-wheel H, fixed rigidly to the shaft, and the detent d, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, in a sewing-machine, of the shaft 0, the series of springs D, and the cage E F G, with a stop mechanism located upon the end of the cage and adapted, as described, to limit the winding up and unwinding of the springs, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the shaft 0, the series of springs D, wound around and fastened thereto at one end, the cage composed of the heads E F and bars G, and the division-plates D located between the springs to avoid in-' terference or entanglement between the coils of the latter, as described. e

5. The combination, with the two-series of springs and their cage-heads F, of the two gear-wheels J J, shaft L, with pinion K, and

gear-wheel N and shaft O,with pinion N,

and drive-wheel P, for the belt, as shown and 5 described.

6. The combination, with the brake-wheel R of the treadle-brake apparatus consisting of the treadle R, rod R, lever R, and spring R*, as and for the purpose described.

7. The combination, with the sewing-machine and its driving mechanism, of the supplemental brake apparatus consisting of standard S above the table, lever S, bearing-shoe S and the screw S, as and for the purpose I 5 described. 7

8. The combination, with aspringmotor and its driving mechanism connected by a belt, of a brake drawn normally toward a brake-wheel by a spring, and an arm bearing a fricti on-roller resting against the belt, whereby the tension of the belt holds the brake away from the wheel until broken, and whereby also the belt is kept in uniform tension, as described.

JOHN M. OAYOE.

Witnesses:

J AMEs H. GRIDLEY, SoLoN O. KEMON. 

